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February 2015

Belizean Chocolate


NewsletterFeb2015 NewsletterFeb2015 NewsletterFeb2015

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CARICOM Single Market trailblazers and public sector workers courted as Spokespersons


Belizean public sector workers and Belizean nationals who have actively participated in the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) are to be trained as spokespersons in a special training workshop scheduled for February 24 and 25 at the Best Western Hotel in Belize City. The workshop is spearheaded by the Ministry of Trade, Investment, Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection – the National CSME focal point in Belize, in partnership with the CARICOM Secretariat and with funding from the Government of Canada.

Participants being mobilized include local CARICOM traders, exporters, professionals and CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, as well as public sector workers who facilitate applications under the four regimes of the CARICOM Single Market – Skills, Goods, Services and Rights of establishment of businesses.

The ambassadorial group will be deployed post training to share their experiences in accessing the CARICOM Single Market and to share with nationals how they too can access the right to work, travel and do business in 12 other CARICOM nations.

Day One of training – February 24 – begins with an opening ceremony at 5:30 p.m. to which media are invited, and will include a refresher on the rights and obligations of all Belizean nationals under the CARICOM Single Market and new developments brought about by the Shanique Myrie versus Barbados judgment.

On Day Two – February 25 – intensive training starting at 9:30 a.m. will focus on interview and presentation techniques to improve participants’ abilities to effectively share information on the CARICOM Single Market with Belizeans from all walks of life.

All participants will be inducted into the regional CSME Spokespersons Bureau at 5 p.m. on February 25, and will be specially welcomed by Andy Sutherland, Deputy Director, Ministry of Trade, Investment, Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection – National CSME focal point, Tricia Gideon, Trade Economist and the CARICOM Secretariat. The media are also invited to cover this event.

The Spokespersons Workshop follows a series of teacher training workshops on the CSM in Belmopan and Dangriga, and is precursor to the CSM Media Workshop scheduled for February 26 and 27 at Best Western Hotel in Belize City. Other Teacher Training Workshops on the CSME are planned for April in Orange Walk and Belize City.

All Workshops are key activities under the CARICOM Single Market Information Flows Project which is mandated to set the framework for heightened public education and awareness on the CSME led by the focal point Ministries in six CARICOM Member States. This includes capacity building initiatives, the AccessCSME – The workplace edition series, sustainable public education strategies and information channels. The project is being implemented in Belize, Jamaica, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Guyana.

Contact: Tricia Gideon, CSME Focal Point, Ministry of Trade, Investment, Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection

Tel: 501 822 2832

           

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International Trade Center – Delivering Results Globally


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CARIBBEAN EXPORTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS


The aim of the Caribbean Exporter of the Year Awards is to create an export culture across the region by encouraging CARIFORUM firms to begin exporting or to expand

CEYA-Banner-2015croptheir exports through a programme that acknowledges and rewards exporters.

The specific objectives are:

  • To give recognition to exporters (SMEs) that have demonstrated an ability to achieve exporting success as demonstrated primarily through export volumes, diversity of export markets and sound export strategies and action plans;
  • To give recognition to youth and female exporters across the CARIFORUM region;
  • To give recognition to exporters that have integrated green technologies into their operations;
  • To encourage exporters to innovate by investing in R & D to improve product development and;
  • To encourage exporters to engage in corporate social responsibility.

Firms can be nominated in more than one category. Entry is by nomination from a business support organization, government institution, or peer within the CARIFORUM region through Caribbean Export’s website (www.carib-export.com) by February 27, 2015 at 4:30 p.m.  Applications submitted by any other method or after the deadline will not be accepted.

Description of Awards

Emerging Exporter of the Year 
The Emerging Exporter of the Year Award recognises a company that has entered the export market within the last 3 years and has already experienced success.

Young Exporter of the Year 
The Young Exporter of the Year Award recognises a company whose principle shareholder is 35 years or younger and is a successful exporter.

Female Exporter of the Year
The Female Exporter of the Year Award recognises a company whose principle shareholder is female and is a successful exporter.

Green Exporter of the Year
The Green Exporter of the Year Award recognizes an exporter that has invested in green technologies and integrated alternative/renewable energy solutions into its operations that has allowed it to experience exporting success.

Caribbean Exporter of the Year
The Caribbean Exporter of the Year Award recognizes a Caribbean firm that has achieved significant exporting success and whose brand epitomizes Caribbean Export’s guiding philosophy of “Taking Caribbean Excellence to the World.”

Special Award – Excellence in Services Exports
The Special Award recognizes an outstanding Caribbean firm that has successfully exported its services.

Eligibility Criteria

The awards are open to all firms within the CARIFORUM region that meet the eligibility criteria (see below) and are nominated by a business support organization, government institution or peer within the CARIFORUM region.Nomination forms are available on Caribbean Export’s website and should be submitted electronically on or beforeFebruary 27, 2015. Winners will be announced prior to the awards ceremony scheduled for April 16, 2015.

Interested applicants should meet the General Eligibility Criteria in addition to the relevant Award Specific Criteria to which they are applying.

General Eligibility Criteria 

Firms:

  • Must be a registered company headquartered in a CARIFORUM country;
  • Must be majority owned by a CARIFORUM national;
  • Must have an established market presence in at least one export market (regional and international)
  • Must have been in operation for at least three (3) years and exporting for at least two (2) of those years (with the exception of the emerging exporter of the year award)
  • Product or service exported must contain significant CARIFORUM content
  • Produces goods/services that demonstrate significant appeal in the export market
  • Must have annual export earnings of at least US$50,000 (with the exception of the Emerging Exporter of the Year Award) 

Award Specific Eligibility Criteria

Emerging Exporter of the Year 

  • Firm must have annual export earnings of at least US$20,000
  • Firm has been in operation for three years or less and has been actively exporting for a maximum of three (3) years 

Young Exporter of the Year 

  • Principle shareholder (owns at least 51% of firm) must be 35 years or younger as at December 31st 2015 and must be active in daily operations of firm

Female Exporter of the Year

  • Principle shareholder (owns at least 51% of firm) must be female of the firm and must be active in daily operations of firm 

Green Exporter of the Year 

  • Firm has prioritised investment in green technologies to enhance competitiveness
  • Firm has realised significant benefits (economic/environmental) as a result of integrating alternative/renewable energy solutions into its operations

Caribbean Exporter of the Year 

  • Firm has demonstrated innovation in the area of product development
  • Firm has provided increased employment opportunities to CARIFORUM nationals with emphasis on women and youth employment
  • Firm has demonstrated corporate social responsibility in the communities in which it operates 

Special Award – Excellence in Services Exports

  • Firm must be an exporter of services
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Belmopan and Belize Training and Employment Center (BTEC)


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On January 19th 2015 the Belize Training and Employment Center (BTEC) embarked on its three week Job Readiness program in Belmopan. A total of 65 interested participants took the pre-assessments in English and Computer of which 35 qualified to start the training program. The soft skills portion of the training took place at the NEMO training room and the technical training took part at CITO’s training room. The Belmopan participants were truly a vibrant, outspoken and dedicated group. At the end of the intense three week program, the 35 participants sat in front of a panel of different call center managers to both test their knowledge learnt as well as to market themselves in hopes of acquiring a job. A competition of sorts occurred since managers saw talent in individuals and quickly marketed themselves as the better employers. After the interview, the graduation took place at the George Price Center. The keynote remarks were done by Mayor Simeon Lopez, in which he made practical and comic connections to the material that was trained and their value in the working world. The top graduate, Karima Dennison, also highlighted the importance of what was trained and the invaluable nature of the skills she had learnt. As this week winds down we will contact the participants to see if they have been contacted for second interviews or better yet, if they have been employed!

Visit our Facebook page to see more pictures https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.848134465224889.1073741918.218040954900913&type=3

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